Adjustable height baseball batter dummy

ABSTRACT

A baseball batter dummy adjustable in height from 4 feet to about 6 feet, dressed in a batting uniform, and intended to be placed adjacent home plate for use during pitching practice to provide the pitcher with a realistic target during practice, the dummy having telescoping tubes and rods disposed in the legs and torso operable in a rack and pinion manner to selectively vary the height of the dummy and having pressure clips secured in the hands of the dummy adapted to hold the handle portion of a bat therein with the bat being removable therefrom for storage purposes.

United States atent [191 Tellez 1 Mar. 18, 1975 ADJUSTABLE HEIGHTBASEBALL BATTER DUMMY [76] Inventor: Arturo O. Tellez, 96 Gila St.,

Morenci, Ariz. 85540 [22] Filed: Aug. 30, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 502,219

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1871 Lacmann 46/163 1/1972Doynow 273/26 A Primary ExaminerRichard C. P'inkham AssistantExaminer-T. Brown [57] ABSTRACT A baseball batter dummy adjustable inheight from 4 feet to about 6' feet, dressed in a batting uniform, andintended to be placed adjacent home plate for use during pitchingpractice to provide the pitcher with a realistic target during practice,the dummy having telescoping tubes and rods disposed in the legs andtorso operable in a rack and pinion manner to selectively vary theheight of the dummy and having pressure clips secured in the hands ofthe dummy adapted to hold the handle portion of a bat therein with thebat being removable therefrom for storage purposes.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT BASEBALL BATTER DUMMYBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This inventionrelates generally to apparatus for use in the practice of the game ofbaseball and more particularly to a novel baseball battery dummy whichsimulates the stance and appearance of a batter during a baseball gameand is intended for use to provide a pitcher with a realistic targetwhen practicing hit pitches.

2. Description of the Prior Art The play of the game of baseball amonyoungsters and more mature players is constantly becoming morecompetitive requiring higher skills and physical abilities, with one ofthe more important abilities being that of a pitcher who must spend longhours of practice to develop his pitching skills. As the pitching areais defined as that over the home plate as determined between the generalknees and torso of a batter, to obtain good practice it is required thata person take the batting stance during the pitching practice, thisbeing quite boring for the person who merely stands there and acts asthe batter during the pitching practice.

Accordingly, much pitching practice today is performed with anindividual simulating the stance of a batter with the pitchers targetthus only being a hanging loop to throw the ball through or the cathcersglove, the pitcher not having the method of determining the pitchingarea for himself and thus being at a disadvantage during a real gamewhen pitching to real batters.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a novel baseballbatter dummy of a variable height to simulate different sized battersand which simulates the appearance of a baseball batter as to thebatting stance with a baseball bat at the ready position to hit a ball,the batter secured in an upright position by the base plate in the samemanner as a real batter thus providing the pitcher with a realistictarget when practicing his pitches.

It is a feature of the present invention to provide a baseball batterdummy of an adjustable height.

A further feature of the present invention provides a baseball batterdummy which is relatively simple in its construction and which thereforemay be readily manufactured at a relatively low cost and by simplemanufacturing methods from readily available materials such that it canbe retailed at a sufficiently low price to encourage widespread usethereof.

Still a further feature of the present invention provides a baseballbatter dummy which is of a rugged and durable construction and whichtherefore may be guaranteed by the manufacturer to provide many years ofintended usage.

Yet still a further feature of the present invention provides a baseballbatter dummy which is easy to useand rehable and efficie n t inopgation.

Still yet a further feature of the present invention provides a baseballbatter dummy which is of a foam rubber construction and dressed in auniform closely simulating a realistic batter.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following descriptron.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification, and in which like reference characters areemployed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a phantom perspective configuration of the batter dummyillustrating the height control mechanism inwardly thereof;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the height control mechanismof the dummy;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along Line 3-3 of FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along Line 4-4 of FIG.2; and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of one of the hands of the dummy illustratingthe pressure clip associated therewith to allow for the insertion andremoval of a bat handle into the hand.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings indetail there is illustrated a preferred form of a baseball battery dummysimulating a real player and which is constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention and designated generally in itsentirety by the reference numeral 10, the basic configuration of thedummy being formed of foam rubber padding over which there is placed abaseball uniform.

The portion of the dummy from the waist up as indicated by referencenumeral 11 is telescopically received in the hip and upper leg portion12 for vertical adjustment thereof to control the height of the batter.Similarly, the lower leg and foot portions 13 are telescopicallyreceived in the bottom leg forming portions of the portion 12 to assistin controlling the proportional height variations of the batter.

To retain the dummy 10 in a batting stance position adjacent home plate14 in the same manner simulating a real batter, each of the feet 16 ofthe dummy are provided with a vertically downward projecting stake 17which projects into the ground adjacent the home plate to retain thedummy in fixed position relative thereto.

The hands 18 of the dummy include a strip of soft pliable lead typematerial 21 extending through the fingers with the hand thumb 22 beingof a rigid structure, the fingers being bendable relative to the thumbin a manner to be wrapped about the handle 23 of a conventional baseballbat 24 to removably hold the bat in the batters hands in a mannerrepresenting a batter ready to hit a pitched ball.

Extending horizontally through the waist of the batter portion 12 is afiat bar 31 which is fixed thereto and which has a pair oflongitudinally extending slots 32 therein disposed symmetrically aboutthe center of the bar. A solid cylindrical rod 41 has one end joined tothe top center of the bar 31 with the rod projecting vertically uprighttherefrom into the upper portion 11 of the dummy, the rod provided witha series of notches 42 extending longitudinally along one side thereofin longitudinal alignment. The rod 41 passes axially through a sleeve 43having a longitudinal slot 44 cut out of a side wall portion thereof,the sleeve being fixed to the upper portion 11 for guiding the verticalmovement of the portion 11 relative to portion 12. A toothed gear wheel45 having its axis extending normal to the axis of rod 41 engages thenotches 42 through slot 44 with the shaft 45 thereof projectingoutwardly therefrom and passing through the front 46 of portion 11 andterminating in knob 47. Rotation of knob 47 effects the raising andlowering of the portion 11 relative to portion 12 for adjustment of thebatters height.

Associated with each of the slots 32 is an adjustment mechanism 50 whichextends downwardly through each of the leg portions of portion 12 and13, and accordingly the description will be directed to a single one ofthe adjustment mechanisms 50 as the other mechanism is identicalthereto.

The adjustment mechanism 50 consists of an elongated solid cylindricalrod 51 having a head portion52 'disposed normal to the rod axis andretaining the rod in associated slot 32 with the rod projectingdownwardly at an outward angle therefrom through the leg of portion 12,the rod provided with a series of longitudinally aligned notches 52extending completely therealong. Secured to lower leg portion 13 is asleeve 53 through which rod 51 is telescopically passed, the sleevehaving a slot 54 in alignment with notches 52 through a side wallportion thereof. A toothed gear 55 having its axis extending normal tothe axis of rod 51 'is provided in engagement with the notches 52 andhas a shaft 56 projecting outwardly therefrom passing through the rigidfront surface 57 of leg portion 13 and terminating in a knob 58.Rotation of knob 58 serves to lengthen or shorten the projection of legportion 13 from body portion 12 for use in both adjusting the height ofthe dummy as well as to adjusting the stance of the dummy, such as tohaving one shoulder raised or lowered relative to the other shoulder,having both shoulders horizontal, and the like so as to accuratelysimulate the stance of a variety of typical batters.

Thereis thus provided a novel baseball batter dummy simulating arealistic batter to provide a pitcher with a realistic target forpracticinghis pitches.

It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shownand described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, andthat this invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement ofparts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in thisspecification as various changes in the details of construction as toshape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, the scope of the novelconcepts thereof, or the scope of the sub-joined claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed l. A baseballbatter dummy simulating a real batters stance comprising:

a rigid upper torso body portion containing the batters chest, arms,hands, and head;

a middle body portion containing the batters waist and lower portion ofthe chest and the pair of leg portions through the knee thereof;

a pair of rigid leg and foot portions each associated with one of theleg projections of the middle body portion and telescopically receivedrelative thereto;

the body upper torso portion being telescopically received through thetop of the middle body portion;

a stake projecting vertically from each of the feet portions adapted tobe inserted into the ground to retain the batter in a batting stanceadjacent a plate for pitching practice purposes;

pressure clips disposed in the fingerportions of each hand of thebatter, the finger portions being thus movable relative to the rigidthumb of each hand to wrap around the handle of a bat to removablyretain a bat in the hand in a position simulating the position of thebat ready to hit a pitched ball; and

an adjusting mechanism extending through the upper torso, middle bodyportion, and leg portions and adjustably connecting the same together toprovide for telescopic adjustment of the various portions relative toeach other to vary the height and stance of the batter.

2. The baseball batter dummy as set forth in claim 1 wherein theadjusting mechanism comprises:

a horizontally extending flat bar affixed in the waist portion of themiddle body portion and extending thereacross, and a pair oflongitudinally extending slots disposed on each side of the center ofthe bar;

a rigid cylindrical rod affixed to one end to the center of the topsurface of the bar and projecting vertically upright therefrom out ofthe middle body portion and into the upper torso body portion;

a series of longitudinallyaligned notches disposed along a side surfaceof the rigid bar between the ends thereof; 7

a hollow open ended cylindrical sleeve affixed to the upper torso bodyportion and receiving the rigid rod telescopically therethrough;

a slot in the cylindrical side walls of the sleeve in alignment with therod notches to provide access thereto;

a gear having a toothed periphery with its axis disposed normal to theaxis of the rod and with its toothed periphery in engagement with therod notches;

a shaft extending axially concentric with the gear having one endaffixed thereto with the opposite end extending through the upper torsobody portion and terminating in a knob exterior thereof;

whereby rotation of the knob effects rotation of the gear to effect thetelescopic outward and inward movement of the upper torso body portionrelative to the middle body portion to adjust the height of the batter;and v a pair of identical leg adjustment mechanisms associated with thebarand extending through the leg portions of the middle body portion andterminating inwardly of the leg body portions for selective control ofthe telescopic adjustment of the legs inwardly and outwardly of themiddle body portion.

3. The baseball batter dummy as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of theidentical leg adjustment mechanisms comprises:

an elongated rigid solid cylindrical rod having one end slidablyreceived in the associated slot of the bar for slidable movementtherealong, the opposite end ofthe bar projecting through the associatedleg portion of the middle body portion and terminating inwardly of theassociaated leg and foot body member;

a series of longitudinally aligned notches disposed along a side surfaceof the rod between the opposite ends thereof;

a hollow open ended tubular sleeve member telescopically receiving therod therethrough, the sleeve member being affixed to the associated legand foot body portion;

along the rod in a manner providing for telescopic inward and outwardmovement of the leg and foot member relative to the middle body portion.

4. The baseball batter dummy as set forth in claim 3 wherein each of thepressure clips comprises a length of soft pliable lead material embeddedin the finger portions of eachof the batters hands, the finger portionsbeing movable between a position spaced from the thumb in a hand openposition and a position being closed with the thumb to form a passagewaytherethrough to retain the handle of a baseball bat therein. =i

1. A baseball batter dummy simulating a real batter''s stancecomprising: a rigid upper torso body portion containing the batter''schest, arms, hands, and head; a middle body portion containing thebatter''s waist and lower portion of the chest and the pair of legportions through the knee thereof; a pair of rigid leg and foot portionseach associated with one of the leg projections of the middle bodyportion and telescopically received relative thereto; the body uppertorso portion being telescopically received through the top of themiddle body portion; a stake projecting vertically from each of the feetportions adapted to be inserted into the ground to retain the batter ina batting stance adjacent a plate for pitching practice purposes;pressure clips disposed in the finger portions of each hand of thebatter, the finger portions being thus movable relative to the rigidthumb of each hand to wrap around the handle of a bat to removablyretain a bat in the hand in a position simulating the position of thebat ready to hit a pitched ball; and an adjusting mechanism extendingthrough the upper torso, middle body portion, and leg portions andadjustably connecting the same together to provide for telescopicadjustment of the various portions relative to each other to vary theheight and stance of the batter.
 2. The baseball batter dummy as setforth in claim 1 wherein the adjusting mechanism comprises: ahorizontally extending flat bar affixed in the waist portion of themiddle body portion and extending thereacross, and a pair oflongitudinally extending slots disposed on each side of the center ofthe bar; a rigid cylindrical rod affixed to one end to the center of thetop surface of the bar and projecting vertically upright therefrom outof the middle body portion and into the upper torso body portion; aseries of longitudinally aligned notches disposed along a side surfaceof the rigid bar between the ends thereof; a hollow open endedcylindrical sleeve affixed to the upper torso body portion and receivingthe rigid rod telescopically therethrough; a slot in the cylindricaLside walls of the sleeve in alignment with the rod notches to provideaccess thereto; a gear having a toothed periphery with its axis disposednormal to the axis of the rod and with its toothed periphery inengagement with the rod notches; a shaft extending axially concentricwith the gear having one end affixed thereto with the opposite endextending through the upper torso body portion and terminating in a knobexterior thereof; whereby rotation of the knob effects rotation of thegear to effect the telescopic outward and inward movement of the uppertorso body portion relative to the middle body portion to adjust theheight of the batter; and a pair of identical leg adjustment mechanismsassociated with the bar and extending through the leg portions of themiddle body portion and terminating inwardly of the leg body portionsfor selective control of the telescopic adjustment of the legs inwardlyand outwardly of the middle body portion.
 3. The baseball batter dummyas set forth in claim 2 wherein each of the identical leg adjustmentmechanisms comprises: an elongated rigid solid cylindrical rod havingone end slidably received in the associated slot of the bar for slidablemovement therealong, the opposite end of the bar projecting through theassociated leg portion of the middle body portion and terminatinginwardly of the associaated leg and foot body member; a series oflongitudinally aligned notches disposed along a side surface of the rodbetween the opposite ends thereof; a hollow open ended tubular sleevemember telescopically receiving the rod therethrough, the sleeve memberbeing affixed to the associated leg and foot body portion; a slotextending longitudinally through a side wall of the sleeve in alignmentwith the rod notches to provide access thereto; a toothed gear wheelhaving its peripheral teeth in engagement with the notches of the rodthrough the sleeve slot; a shaft projecting concentrically outwardly ofone end of the toothed gear wheel and extending through a surface of theleg and foot member to terminate in a knob exterior thereof; wherebyrotation of the knob effects rotation of the gear to effect telescopicmovement of the sleeve along the rod in a manner providing fortelescopic inward and outward movement of the leg and foot memberrelative to the middle body portion.
 4. The baseball batter dummy as setforth in claim 3 wherein each of the pressure clips comprises a lengthof soft pliable lead material embedded in the finger portions of each ofthe batter''s hands, the finger portions being movable between aposition spaced from the thumb in a hand open position and a positionbeing closed with the thumb to form a passageway therethrough to retainthe handle of a baseball bat therein.